Orkney Islands

The Orkney Islands are an archipelago of over 70 islands some 10 miles off the north tip of mainland Scotland. They've been settled since the Neolithic period and have a remarkable collection of standing stones, early settlements and burial cairns, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Places of Interest

Highlights: Grain Earth House and St Magnus Cathedral.

Grain Earth House

Archaeological site

Grain Earth House

Photo: Otter, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Grain Earth House is an archaeological site.

St Magnus Cathedral

Church

St Magnus Cathedral

Photo: Robert Scarth, CC BY-SA 2.0.

St Magnus Cathedral is a Church of Scotland parish… St Magnus Cathedral is situated 2 miles southeast of Orkney Islands.

Wideford Hill chambered cairn

Archaeological site

Wideford Hill chambered cairn

Photo: David Wyatt, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Wideford Hill chambered cairn is a Neolithic chambered cairn on Mainland, Orkney in Scotland.

Places in the Area

Nearby places include St Ola and Kirkwall.

St Ola

Locality

Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.0.

St Ola is a parish on Mainland, Orkney. St Ola is situated 1½ miles south of Orkney Islands.

Kirkwall

Photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Kirkwall is the chief town of the Orkney Islands, which lie off the north tip of mainland Scotland.

Balfour

Village

Photo: Shirley Grant, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Balfour is a village on the island of Shapinsay, Orkney. Balfour is situated 4 miles northeast of Orkney Islands.

Orkney Islands

Type: Island
Also known as: “Orkney” and “Orkneys”
Category: landform
Location: Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Britain and Ireland, Europe
View on OpenStreetMap

Latitude

59° north

Longitude

-3° or 3° west

Elevation

95 feet (29 metres)

Open location code

9CFV2222+22

GeoNames ID

This page is based on GeoNames, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikivoyage.

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Satellite Map

Discover this place from above in high-definition satellite imagery.

© Stadia Maps, Airbus DS, CNES, PlanetObserver, and Copernicus

In Other Languages

“Orkney Islands” goes by many names.

Welsh: “Ynysoedd yr Orkney” (historical)

Places with the Same Name

Discover other places named “Orkney Islands”.

Localities in the Area

Places to explore: Quanter Ness and Blackhill.

Notable Places Nearby

Highlights: Quanterness and RNAS Hatston.

Orkney Islands: Must-Visit Destinations

Worth a closer look: Kirkwall and Stromness.

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